
Gass l^n X 
Book P f '^' 



/ 

A DESCRlPTIOff 



or THE 



(^ 3J' 
PROVINCE 



OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 



DRAWN UP AT 



CHARLES TOWN, IN SEPTEMBER, 1731. 



Tranalated from Mr. Purry's Original Treatise, in French, and published in 
th9 Gentleman's Magazine, for August, September, and October, 1732. 



WJlSHINGTOX CITT ; 

FEINTED BY PKTER rOKCK. 



1837. 






•t:?_ 



DESCRIPTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 



THE King of Great Britain having about 3 Years ago 
purchased this Province of the l^ords Proprietors thereof, 

has since studied to make Agriculture, Commerce and 
Navigation, flourish in it. His Majesty immediately nominated 
Colonel Johnson, a worthy Gentleman, to be Governor thereof; 
who, at his Departure for Carolina, receiv'd divers Orders and 
Instructions, but in particular was directed instantly to mark out 
Places in a proper Situation for building Eleven Towns, viz. 

Two on the River Alatamaha, 

Two on the Kiver Savanna, 

One at the Head of the River Poupon, 

Two at the River Santee, 

One at the 1-Jiver of Watery, 

One at the Black River, 

One at the River li'acomau, and 

One at the River Pedee. 
The District of each of these Towns is to contain the Ex- 
tent of 20000 Acres of Land, formed into a Square, bordering 
on the River, and divided into Shares of 50 Acres for each 
Man, Woman, or Child, of one Family ; which may be augment- 
ed as the Planters shall be in a Condition to cultivate a larger 
Quantity of Ground, and every one of them shall have an 
equal Share of the better and worse Lands, aiid also the same 
Right on the River. 

Each Town shall be formed into a Parish, the Extent where- 
of shall be about 6 Miles round the Town on the same Side of 
the River ; and as soon cs a Parish shall contain 100 Masters 
of Families, they may send Two Members to the Assembly of 
the Province, and enjoy the same Privilege as the other Par- 
ishes of the Province. 

The Ground of each Town shall be speedily marked out, 
and shall belong in common to all the Inhabitants, till it shall 
he distributed in particular Shares to each of thcin. There are 
to be 300 Acres of Land near the Town, which shall he com- 
mon for ever, without being charged with Rent, and vo person 



shall, by Virtue of any former Grant, take Possession of any 
Land luithin 6 Miles of each Town. 

The Rent shall be 4s per Ann. /or every 100 Acres, except 
thai for the first 10 ^cars the Lands shall be entirely free, and 
all those that shall stttle in the said Towns shall enjoy the same 
Alvantages. 

His Majesty further grants to every European Servant, 
ivhether Man or Woman, 50 Acres of Land free of all Rents 
for 10 Years, which shall be distributed to them after having 
served their Master for the Time agreed on. 

In consequence of these Instructions M. Furry was permit- 
ted to go and chuse on the Borders of the River Savanna Land 
proper to build the Town of Purryshurg upon ; and having 
found it such as he wish'd, the Government made him a Grant 
thereof under the Great Seal of the Province, dated the 1st of 
September 1731, and at the same Time publish'd throughout 
the whole Country a Prohibition to all Sorts of Persons to go 
and settle on the said Land which is already called the Swiss 
(Quarter. 

In order to facilitate the Execution of this L^ndertaking in the 
best Manner, the Assembly granted to the said IVL Furry 400/. 
Ste7'ling, and Provisions sufficient for the Maintenance of 300 
Persons for one Year, provided they be all Persons of good 
Repute, and Siviss Protestants, and that they come to Carolina 
witliin the Space of 2 Years. 

The River Savanna is one of the finest in all Carolina, the 
Water good and stored with excellent Fish: It is about the 
Largeness of the Rhyne, and there are 2 Forts already built 
upon it, one of which call'd Fnliaholaas, is 100 Miles from the 
Mouth thereof, and the other call'd Savanna Town, about 300 
Miles ; and altho' there is not usually above 20 Men to garrison 
the first Fort, and about 40 'in the other, yet the Indiaris have 
never dared to attack them. 

The Town of Furrysburg v.ill be situated 30 Miles from the 
Sea, and about 7 Miles from the highest Tide ; The Land about 
it is a most delightful Plain, and the greatest Part very good 
Soil, especially for Pasturage, and the rest yroper enough for 
some Productions. It was formerly call'd the great Ymassee 
Port, and is esteem'd by the Inhabitants of the Province the 
best place in all Carolina, altho' never yet possessed but by the 
Indians, who were driven from thence by the English several 
Years ago, and have never dared to return thither. All Sorts of 
Trees and Plants will grov/ there, as well as can be wish'd, 
particularly Vines, Wheat, Barley, Oats, Pease, Beans, Hemp, 
Flax, Cotton, Tobacco, Indico, Olives, Orange Trees and Cit~ 



ber of Cattle, that a certain Planter had last Spring 200 Calves 
marked, which he let run in the Woods with other Cattle ; No- 
body looks after them, or takes any other Care, but to bring 
them together in the Evening to lie in a Park near the House. 

At certain times they kill a great many to send the Flesh 
salted to several other Colonies, where there is little Pasturage, 
particularly to the Isles of Antilles, and in general to all those 
of the Torrid Zone. 

Horses, the best Kind in the World, are so plentiful, that you 
seldom see any body travel on foot, except Negroes, and they 
oftner on horseback ; so that when a Taylor, a Shoemaker, or 
any other Tradesman, is obliged to go but 3 Miles from his 
House, it would be very extraordinary to see him travel on foot. 

There is likewise in this Country a prodigious number of 
Swine, which multiply infinitely, and are kept with very little 
Charge, because they find almost all the Year Acorns, of which 
there is 5 or 6 sorts, as also Nuts, Walnuts, Chesnuts, Herbs, 
Roots, fyc. in the Woods : So that if you give them never so 
little at home they become fat ; after which you may salt and 
send great quantities of them to the Isles of Barbadoes, St. 
Christophers, Jamaica, ^c. which produce very good Returns 
either in Money or Merchandizes. 

Of all Animals in that Country, none are a less Charge than 
Sheep, for they subsist only on what they find in the Fields ; 
yet are always in good Case, and bring forth their Lambs regu- 
larly ; and there is a particular sort, whose Wool is not inferiour 
to the finest Spanish Wool. 

Flax and Cotton thrive admirably, and Hemp grows to 13 or 
14 Foot in height, but as few People know how to order it, 
there is scarce any cultivated ; besides, they want Dung, which 
is very necessary for that purj)ose, few Plants weakening Land 
so much as Hemp does : However, this is one of the Articles 
which would produce most Profit, because the Parliament has 
allow'd so much per Ton upon all Hemp which conies from the 
English Plantations in America, in order that in time of War 
they may have no need of Hemp from Russia and Poland ; 
besides this Encouragement, which is to last for 30 Years longer, 
there is an Exemption from some other Duties on Importation; 
which joined together, makes an Advantage of about 40 per 
Cent, over that of Hemp from other Parts. 

Rice and Indian Corn produce at least an hundred-fold, and 
would much more, if the Land was better cultivated. The 
Easiness of procuring such a plenty of Grain, is the Reason 
that the Planters have or may have at all Times a Court-yard 
fiU'd with Cocks, Hens, Turkeys, Geese, Ducks, ^c. also a 



10 

good Pigeon-house, without being at any Expence. There is 
great plenty of Game of all sons, but especially wild Turkeys, 
some of which are 30 pound weight, and those who love Fowl- 
ing may easily take them. With this Indian Corn they make 
pretty good Bread, for it is much finer and better than in Siviss- 
erland, or in any other part of Europe, where it is commonly 
call'd Turkey Corn. 

Persons may grow rich in Carolina without being at much 
Expence or Labour, by planting white Mulberry Trees for 
feeding of Silk-worms, there being perhaps no Country in the 
World where those Trees grow better, nor where the Silk is 
finer than in Carolina. They grow so much in so short a 
Time, that we dare scarce mention it : Capt. Scott has one 
at the back of his House at Port-Royal, not above 7 or 8 
Years old, the Body whereof is above 5 foot round. It would 
be difficult to believe this, if it was not confirmed by other Mul- 
berry Trees of 4 or 5 Years old, at Port-Royal, Westmesaa, 
Gouscrick, and other Plantations, the Trunks whereof are near 
a foot in Diameter. But as all tlie Planters apply themselves 
chiefly to the Production of Rice, Pitch, and Tar, there is very 
little L'se made of them. However, those who have been in 
Provence and Languedoc know, that the Strippings of a Mul- 
berry Tree, that is, the Leaves of a Summer, are commonly 
sold for a Crown, and sometimes two, altho' the Silk of those 
two Provinces is but very indifferent ; from whence it may be 
easily conjectur'd, what Riches Carolina would produce, if this 
Affair was well managed. All other Trees grow there in the 
same Proportion, and much faster than in Europe, but particu- 
larly the Peach Tree ; for the 3(| Year it is commonly loaded 
with Fruit, and is a great Tree the 4th Year. 

Some perhaps will object, that this Country is feverish and 
unhealthy, and all the Advantages which might be found in 
other Respects, would not make Amends for the loss of Health : 
Besides, that you are plagued there with several sorts of Insects, 
and especially with great Rattle-Snakes ; so that you are in 
Danger of your Life every Moment. 

To this we answer. That if People are sick there, 'tis gen- 
erally an Effect of their bad Conduct, and not knowing how 
to regulate themselves suitably to the Country where they live; 
for 'tis very certain, that those who observe Precautions have as 
good Health there as they would in other Places. But the bet- 
ter to understand this Affair ; you must know that the unculti- 
vated Lands of Carolina, as well as the other adjacent Provinces, 
which extend much further than Canada, being wholly covered 
with large Pine Trees, very cold in their Nature, and when the 



1 1 

Vapours which they have attracted and retained come to be 
dispers'd by a Northerly Wind, you feel a Cold almost as sharp 
as in Europe ; so that in one Day you may find a considerable 
Change of Air : This then, together with the Debauches made 
by Punch, strong Madera Wines, and the eating unripe Fruits, 
is the real Source of the Sicknesses there ; for sensual Persons, 
who have not the Power to deny themselves any thing, when 
they find that a hot Day is succeeded by a great Coolness 
towards Evening, expose themselves to it with great pleasure 
without troubling themselves with the Consequence ; and when 
this Pleasure is succeeded by Rheumatisms, Fevers, or other 
Distempers, they never fail of pouring out Curses on the Coun- 
try, rather than own their Carelesness or Excess. And 'tis very 
common for those newly arrived, to say, when they have got any 
Illness, That ^tis a Tribute t/iei/ must pay to the Climate. But 
such as take care to kec]) their Breasts always warm, to shun the 
great Transpirations of the Air, to cover themselves well in the 
Night especially in Summer, and in other Respects live regular- 
ly, will certainly enjoy as good Health there as in any other 
Part of the World. 

There are few Insects in Carolina that can reasonably be 
complain'd of, except a sort of Gnats, which they call Musca- 
toes ; and there is scarce any of these except in low Grounds, 
or near the Rivers ; but if a House is troubled with them, it is 
easily remedied, by opening the Windows about Sun-setting, 
and shutting them again a little before the Close of the Twilight, 
the Muscatocs never failing to quit the House at that Time ; 
and for better Security, they make fine Gause-work about their 
Beds, which keeps them ofl'. 

There are People in Europe, especially in England, that 
tremble only at the Name of a Rattle-Snake, imagining, that 
the Country of Carolina is so, full of them, that there is no 
going into the Woods without Danger of Life : But this is an 
Error as ill-grounded as the most part of the other Reports 
pread Abroad to the Disadvantage of this new World. At 
least, 'tis certain, that this Serpent is very seldom seen, and if 
they are met, do very little Hurt, except they are provoked to 
defend themselves : Besides, they never fail of giving you Notice 
of their Approach by their Rattles, which may be heard at a 
considerable Distance. 'Tis also said, that the Venom of this 
Serpent is mortal, and kills in a very short Time, if not prevent- 
ed by some Antidotes : But those Remedies are well known by 
every body in the Country. When Mr. Furry went with his 
small Company to chuse out a Spot of Land on the River 
Savanna, the People told them before their Departure from 
Charles Town, that they had great Reason to fear these Rat- 



12 

tie-Snakes, the Country being full of them; and that they 
ought to keep a good Guard against them ; however they did 
not so much as see one of those Serpents, nor of any other sort 
for 15 Days that they travelled about in the Woods, tho' it was 
in the Middle of Summer at a time when all Serpents are out of 
their Holes. It is very seldom that any Person is bitten by ' 
these Snakes, or by those of other Kinds, which are much more 
common, that it would be very difficult to find so much as one 
Person in all Carolina that has ever had this Misfortune. There 
are also some Crocodiles in the Rivers, but the People fear them 
no more, than if they were so many Fishes, since it was never 
known that they have hurt any Person whatsoever. 

•Those that may have any Desire to go and settle there may 
further take notice of 3 or 4 observations : 

1st, That South Carolina is not only situated in the same 
Degree of Heat, Fertility, and Temperature of Air, which is 
about 33 Degrees Latitude, as Barbary, the Isle of Candia, 
Syria, Persia, MogoUstan, China, and in general all the best 
Countries in the Universe ; but it is also the only Country of all 
those the English possess that is situated in that Degree ; and 
there is all the Reason in the World to believe, that if there be 
now an Opportunity to have Lands there for nothing, this 
Advantage will not continue long. At least 'tis very certain 
that those who shall come first, will have the Choice of Land, 
as also the Proximity of Rivers, much better than those that 
shall come afterwards. 

^dly, That by means of the Wool, Cotton, Flax and Hemp, 
it will be easy to procure all Linnen necessary, as also good 
Cloth and Stuffs for Cloathing, without being forced to purchase 
them at a very dear rate from the Shops, as most of the Plan- 
ters are at present. And what is still an Article very consider- 
able, there will be no Danger of wanting Provisions in a Country 
so plentiful, unless some Accidents happen, which cannot be 
foreseen by human Prudence ; we may be assured that Hail- 
stones will not deprive the Inhabitants thereof. 

Sdly, That Carolina being of all the Neighboring Provinces 
which the English possess on the Continent of North Ameri- 
ca, from 29 to 49 Degrees of Latitude, is not only the largest 
and most productive of Necessaries, but also the most South- 
ward, and nearest to Jamaica, Barbadoes, and all the Islands of 
the Antilles, which have Occasion for salted Provisions, Bread, 
Wine, Fruits, Roots, and several other Things, we need not 
hesitate a Moment to prefer it to all the other Colonies on the 
North side. And besides the great Advantages which may 
accrue to the Inhabitants by the Fertility of the Land, and the 
Temperateness of the Climate, the Situation thereof for Trado 



ron Trees, as also white Mulberry Trees for feeding ol" Silk- 
worms. The Lands will not be difficult to clear, because 
there is neither Stones nor Brambles, but only great Trees, 
which do not grow very thick ; so that more Land may be 
clear'd there in one Week, than could be done in Swisser!a7id 
in a Month. The Custom of the Country is, that after having 
cut down these great Trees, they leave the Stumps for 4 or 5 
Years to rot, and afterv.-ards easily root them up, in order to 
manure the Land. 

'Tis very certain, that Carolina is in general an excellent 
Country. 'Tis true, the Ground is sandy ; but then 'tis a Sand 
impregnated with Salt and Nitre, so that it brings forth in great 
Abundance, as the like Soil does in divers Parts of Europe : 
But what is more particular to Carolina, there are a great 
Number of Plantations that have been continually cultivated for 
near 60 Years, which yet still produce great Plenty without 
ever being manured by the least Dung, for they never lay any 
on their Grounds ; The Planter only turns up the Superficies of 
the Earth, and all that he plants and sows therein quickly 
grows and matures : Those who understand ever so little of 
Agriculture will be obliged to own, that if the Lands in Europe 
were not constantly manured, their Strength would be so ex- 
hausted, that at length the Crops would not pay for the Seed. 
But a ]\Ian who shall have a little Land in Carolina, and who 
is not willing to work above 2 or 3 Hours a Day, may very 
easily live there. 

Another Consideration deserving our Notice is the Progress 
of the first Colonies, their sudden Advancement, the Riches 
of the present Inhabitants, the great Number of publick Expen- 
ces for which they provide, the great Trade which they carry 
on at present, and lastly their Misfortunes and Losses ; which 
are entirely repair'd. The better to comprehend these IMatters, 
we shall only make the following Observations. 1. That there 
were no People in Carolina till about 60 Years ago, for the 
English did not begin to send any thither till the Year 1670. 
2. That they had' at first very fatal Beginnings, being afflicted 
with Sicknesses, and even the Plague, which daily diminish'd the 
Number of the People, o. That cruel destructive Divisions 
sprung up among them. 4. That they had a very bad Govern- 
ment under tlie Lords Proprietors, being almo-^^t without Order, 
Justice or Discipline. 5. That at a certain Time the Pyrates 
interrupted their Trade and Navigation. 6. That they have often 
had ci-eat Droughts. 7. That a terrible Fire consumed almost 
all Charles Town. 8. That they have been at great Expence 
in Fortifications, publick Edifices, Churdies, S,-r. 9. That they 



have often sustaln'd long Wars with the French, Spaniards, 
and particularly with the Indians, who once united altogether to 
destroy the whole Province. 10. That notwithstanding all these 
Misfortunes, the People of Carolina, except those who give 
themselves up to Debauchery, are all rich, either in Slaves, 
Furniture, Cloaths, Plate, Jewels, or other Merchandizes, but 
especially in Cattle ; which shews the Goodness of the Country 
ihey inhabit. 

The most Part of those who came first thither were very 
poor and miserable ; several of those who are most considerable 
went but as Servants. 

The Trade of Carolina is now so considerable, that of late 
Years there has Sail'd from thence annually above 200 Ships, 
laden with Merchandizes of the Growth of the Country, besides 
3 Ships of War, whicli they commonly have for the Security of 
the Commerce, and last Winter they had constantly 5, the least 
of which had above 100 Men on Board. It appears by the 
Customhouse Entries from March 1730, to March 1731, that 
there sailed within that Time from Charles Toivn 207 Ships 
most of them for England, which carried among other Goods 
41957 Barrels of R'lce about 500 Pound Weight per Barrel, 
10754 Barrels of Pitch, 2063 of Tar, and 1159 of Turpentine, 
of Deer Skins 300 Casks, containing 8 or 900 each ; besides a 
vast Quantity of Indian Corn, Pease, Beans, &fc. Beef, Pork, 
and other salted Flesh, Beams, Planks, and Timber for Build- 
ing, most part of Cedar, Cypress, Sassafras, Oak, Walnut and 
Pine. 

They carry on a great Trade with the Indians, from whom 
they get these great Quantities of Deer Skins, and those of 
other wild beasts, in Exchange for which they give them only 
Lead, Powder, coarse Cloth, Vermillion, Iron Ware, and some 
other Goods, by which they have a very considerable Profit. 

The great Number of Slaves makes another Part of the 
Riches of this Province, there being above 40,000 Negroes, 
which are worth one with another 100 Crowns each. 

There are between 5 and 600 Houses in Charles Town, the 
most of which are very costly ; besides 5 handsome Churches, 
viz. one for those of the Church of England, one for the 
Presbyterians, one for the Anabaptists, one for the Quakers, and 
one for the French. If you travel into the Country, you will 
see stately Buildings, noble Castles, and an infinite Number of 
all Sorts of Cattle. If it be ask'd what has produced all this ? 
tlie Answer is, ^Tis only the rich Land of Carolina. 

There is not the least Appearance but that the Prosperity of 
this Province will still inci'ease, and, with the Blessing of Hea- 



ven, in a few Years be the most flourishing of all America ; not 
only because the King has much at heart the Improvement of 
this new Country, but because People come thither from all 
Parts. His Majesty has lately sent thither 74 pieces of heavy 
Cannon, with Powder, Ball, ^c. and Governor Johnson is set- 
ting out from Charles Town to mark out the Land, whereon to 
build two good Forts, one at Port-roi/al, and the other upon the 
River Alatcimaha, betwixt which is the River Savanna. The 
People of the Falatinate, those of JSeiv-York, New-England, 
and other Parts, sell all that they have to come to Carolina : 
which has raised the Price of Lands within 50 miles about 
Charles Town to four times the Value in 4 or 5 Years time: It 
will probably be the same about Purrysburg. However, it is a 
certain Truth, that the same quantity of Land at Charles Town 
which might be bought for a Crown about 40 Years ago, cannot 
at this Time be bought for 200/. Sterling, nor even for 300/. 
in ti)ose Places whicli are well situated for Trade. 

The good Dispositions which arc making daily for a regular 
Administration of Justice, cannot fail of bringing the Country 
into Reputation, and drawing thither still great numbers of Peo- 
ple. Artificer? are so scarce at present, that all sorts of Work 
is very dear ; Taylors, Shoemakers, Smiths, fyc. would be par- 
ticularly acceptable there. A skilful Carpenter is not ashamed 
to demand 30 5. j)cr Day besides his Diet; and the common 
Wages of a ^V'orkman is 20 5, jjer Day, provided he speaks 
English, without which he cannot be understood, and conse- 
quently not so useful as others ; and when a Workman has but 
10 s. per Day he thinks he labours for almost nothing, tho' he 
has his Maintenance besides. But this is Carolina Money. 

Most of their Shoes are brought from England, and generally 
sell for 40 5. per pair. Not but they have Hides enough, and 
very cheap, an Ox's Hide being sold for 20 s, neither are they 
destitute of the Means to tan them ; for tiiey make very good 
Lime with Oyster-shells, and the Bark of Oak-trees is so plenti- 
ful, that it costs nothing but the Trouble of gathering: They 
want therefore only a sufficient number of good Tanners and 
Shoemakers, 

1 might sav the same of Leatlicr dressers, since they send 
every Year to England above 200,000 Deer-skins undrest. Yet 
Carolina produces Oker naturally, and good Fish-oyl may be 
had from Nciv- York or New-England very cheap : So that 
they might be drest and made up into Breeches in the Coun- 
try, for which those Skins are very proper, being warm in Win- 
ter and cool in Summer. 

There is not one Potter in all the Province, and no Eartlien- 



ware but what comes from England, nor Glass of any kind : 
So that a Pot-house and a good Glass-house would succeed 
perfectly well, not only for Carolina but for all the other Colo- 
nies in America. There is a kind of Sand and Earth which 
would be very proper for these Purposes, as also Wood and 
Fern in abundance, had they but Workmen to make use of 
them. 

The woods are full of wild Vines, bearing 5 or 6 sorts of 
Grapes naturally ; but for want of Vine-dressers, fyc. scarce any 
Wine is drank there but what comes from Madera, which are 
indeed cheap, for a Bottle of excellent Wine cost last Winter 
but 2 s. Carolina Money to those who bought it by the Hogs- 
head. There is something so singular in these Wines of Madera 
that we cannot forbear mentioning it; which is, That Heat 
preserves them, and Cold spoils them : For as in Europe they 
are obliged to put their Wine in cool Cellars ; these, on the con- 
trary, must be put into the warmest Places. If they begin to 
be sour, they are exposed to the greatest Heats of the Sun to 
be recovered : So that to keep them good, you are to do what 
you would in other Parts to make Vinegar. This seems to be 
the greatest Paradox in the World, but nothing is more certain ; 
and strange as it may seem. Col. Bleelc caused a Vault to be 
made over his Oven, purposely to keep his Wine in all the 
Year. 

The Cattle of Carolina are very fat in Summer, but as lean 
in Winter, because they can find very little to eat, and have no 
Cover to shelter them from the cold Rains, Frosts, and Snows, 
which lasts sometimes 3 or 4 Days : Only the Cattle design'd 
for the Butchery are fed, and they bad enough, with Potatoes, 
Straw, and Grain ; but they always lie in the open Field, for 
there is not one Hovel in all the Country, either for Oxen or 
Cows. If you object this to the Planters, they answer, that 
such Houses or Hovels would do very well, but that they have 
too many other Affairs to think of that. The last Winter being 
very severe about 10,000 horned Cattle died of Hunger and 
Cold. Notwithstanding this, the People will not change their 
Conduct, because they do not understand the manner of order- 
ing Cattle, nor even know how to mow the Grass, in order to 
make it into Hay, of which they might have great Plenty for 
Fodder. Their Ignorance in this respect is very great, which is 
the Reason that Butter is always dear, being sold last Winter at 
7 5. Qd. per Pound, and in January and February last it was 
sold at Charles Town for 12 s. per Pound: In a word, nothing 
would be more easy than for Persons who understand Country 
Affairs to grow ri«h in a little time. There is so great a num- 



13 

will always draw Ships into its Ports, which there finding at a 
reasonable price and in good Order, all that the other most 
distant Provinces can have, will hardly go so far, whilst any 
thing is to be had in Carolina, 

4thhj, and lastly, And what is of the greatest Importance of 
all is, that there is an entire Liberty of Conscience and Com- 
merce for all that come thither, without paying any thing for it ; 
Justice is duly administred to all ; and every body can say that 
what he possesses lawfully belongs to him in full Propriety. 
There are no Tenths, Imposts, Tallies, nor Capitation Taxes, 
nor any of those Burdens which render so many other People 
unhappy : In a word, you have all the Laws, Liberties, and 
Priveleges there which are enjoyed in England : Tis the Lower 
House that has the Disposal of the Money of the Province, and 
who vote the Taxes necessary for the publick Service, however 
with the Approbation of the LTpper House, and that of his Ma- 
jesty, represented by the Governor; and when one of the two 
Houses would have an Act passed, on any Subject whatsoever, 
after having examined and debated all the Clauses thereof, it is 
ingrossed and sent to the other House for their Concurrence. 
But this Act, or rather projected Act, has at that time only the 
Name of a Bill, that is to say, properly, an Act proposed. 
Now if this Bill is passed by the other House, it is carried to 
the Governor, who may either approve or reject it ; and 'tis not 
till the Moment the Governor gives his Consent thereto, that it 
takes the Form of a Law, and has all the Force thereof; for if 
either of the Houses or Governor rejects the said Bill, it drops 
of course. Therefore nothing better proves, that the Constitu- 
tion of the Government of Carolina, as Avell as that of England, 
is founded on the Union between the King and the People, 
since they make only one and the same Body, of which his 
Majesty is always the Head ; from whence it may be concluded 
and boldly affirmed that the English are the most free and happy 
People at this Time in the whole World. 

We whose Names are hereunto subscrib'd, do Attest, that all 
which is contain'd in this Account of South Carolina, is the 
real Truth, having been Eye-Witnesses of most part of the 
Particulars therein mentioned. Done at Charles Town the 
23d of Sepember, 173L 

John Peter Purry, of Neufchatel. 
James Richard, of Geneva. 
Abraham Meuron, of St Snlpy in the 

County of Neufchatel. 
Henry Raymond, of St Sulpy. 



Proposals by Mr. Peter Purry, of Newfchatel, for Encour- 
agement of such Swiss Protestants as should agree to accom- 
paicy him to Carolina, to settle a New Colony. 
There are only two Methods, viz : one for Persons to go as 

Servants, the other to settle on their own Account. 

1. Those who are desirous to go as Servants must be Car- 
penters, Vine-planters, Husbandmen, or good Labourers. 

2. They must be such as are not very Poor, but in a Condi- 
tion to carry with them what is sufficient to support their 
common Necessity. 

3. They must have at least 3 or 4 good Shirts, and a Suit of 
Cloathes each. 

4. They are to have each for their Wages 100 Livres yearly^ 
which make 50 Crowns of the Money of Newfchatel in Siviss- 
erland, but their Wages are not to commence till the Day of 
their arrival in Carolina. 

5. Expert Carpenters shall have suitable Encouragement. 

6. The time of their Contract shall be 3 Years, reckoning 
from the Day of their arrival in that Country. 

7. They shall be supply'd in part of their Wages with Money 
to come from Swisserland, till they imbark for Carolina. 

8. Their Wages shall be paid them regularly at the end of 
every Year ; for seciunty whereof they shall have the Fruits of 
their Labour, and generally all that can be procured for them, 
whether Moveables or Imoveables. 

9. Victuals and Lodging from the Day of their Imbarkation 
shall not be put to their account, nor their Passage by Sea. 

10. They shall have what Money they want advanced during 
the Term of their Service in part of their Wages to buy Lin- 
nen, Clothes, and all other Necessaries. 

11. If they happen to fall Sick they shall be lodg'd and 
nourish'd Gratis, but their Wages shall not go on during their 
Illness, or that they are not able to Work. 

12. They shall serve after Recovery, the time they had lost 
during their Sickness. 



J6 

13. What goes to pay Physicians or Surgeons, shall be put to 
their Accompt. 

As to those who go to settle on their own Account, they must 
have at least 50 Crowns each, because their Passage by Sea, 
and Victuals, will cost from 20 to 25 Crowns, and the rest of 
the Money shall go to procure divers things which will be abso- 
lutely necessary for the Voyage- 



It may not be disagreable in this Place to inform our Readers, that Mr. 
Purry, on his Return to Swisserland, with this Account of Carolina, soon 
prevail'd on many industrious Persons and their Families to the Number of 
about 400, to go with him. On the Uth of this Month [August, 1732,] they 
embarked at Calais in France, on Board two English Ships, which arrived 
off Dover the next Day, and are now sailed on their Voyage. Mr. Bignion 
their Minister came to London, and received Episcopal Ordination: So that 
the Reflections which some have cast on the Religion of thesa People, are 
unjustly founded. 



Lb N '10 



